Children

The most vulnerable group in the community is children who are living with HIV or have cancer. Our aim is to provide these children with the opportunity to have a better life.

Children

Our Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC) programs provide the children not only with medical assistance but emotional, spiritual and educational support.
We are extremely grateful for the support from our international volunteers and the donations from partners and friends, as many of the children’s programs would not be possible without this support.

Education Support

Many of us are fortunate that we have had the opportunity to get an education and it is probably something we may have taken for granted. Try and imagine where you would be now if you had not had an education?
One of the keys in battling HIV/AIDS is education. A poorly educated child is at high risk of getting the disease and has little chance of getting out of the poverty he or she grew up in.
One of the major effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is the chronic ill health of the breadwinners. This often means they do not have the funds to support their families let alone pay school fees for their children.

Geofrey is 19 and currently a student at the ‘Fashion and Design Gayaza Technical School’. He is one of the beneficiaries under the KHC education program.

‘I joined the program in 2012 with the help of my grandmother who had heard about the services offered by KHC. I was very sickly and was rejected by my peers because I was born HIV positive. I am very happy that my life has changed from one of having little self-esteem and pain, to one filled with hope and dreams. I no longer fall sick and have many friends. My sponsor gave me the opportunity to do something I have dreamed of becoming, a designer.’

We are grateful to our sponsors who provide the school fees for many of the children on our Home Care Education Support program (HES). As we have limited resources, we select the neediest children with the priority given to children who are HIV positive; or have been abandoned; and children of HIV positive parents/guardians in our community. KHC regularly follows up each child at home and at school to monitor their progress.

As well as paying the school fees we also provide support with school materials such as pens, books, uniforms and pay for one meal a day at the school.

” I joined the school fees program in 2013 after KHC visited my mother who was very ill and they discovered that I had dropped out of school for 2 years after completing and passing my exams in primary 7. I was unable to go to secondary school as my mother did not have the money for my school fees. I still had a dream of being in the medical field. KHC and Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice supported me to go back to school and in 2017 I finished my Ordinary level exams and passed with first grade. I am now in nursing school and once I become a qualified nurse I want to care for patients the way KHC has cared for my family. I am also very grateful to Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice for the support they have given me.”

Dorcus

Children’s Day Care

Parents/guardians are encouraged to have their preschool children tested for HIV. Currently 25 children attend Day Care which is held at the clinic one day a week. The children are given clinical care and psychosocial support through singing, dancing, storytelling and games. Included in the program are preschool education lessons and 2 meals a day, which provides the children with plenty of nutritious food. The environment is relaxed and happy and takes them away from the stress due to the effects of HIV on their family. A nurse and a counsellor care for the children.

Teen’s Club

This club is for young people who were born with HIV. They meet for education, counselling, and critical thinking through games, music, dance and drama. The children are encouraged to share their stories and encourage each other to look at the future with hope. The program aims to reduce stigma, increase awareness and prevent re-infection among those living with HIV/AIDS.

Kalimarimbas Group

This group was established to enable children with HIV, or those affected by HIV, to reach out to the community through music, dance and drama, and send the message about the prevention of HIV. Currently there are 49 members. During the year the group acquired new costumes and a set of African traditional instruments.
The group can be hired for local events.

New Hope Children’s Hostel

KHC is very excited about the new 3 year project to assist children with cancer which has been made possible by partnering with Kindern Eine Chance, an Austrian organisation.

This partnership will greatly reduce the untold suffering that children experience as they try to access cancer treatment. Currently children from all over can only get access to cancer treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute in Kampala. Many children receiving out-patient treatment are forced to spend 2-3 months residing on the verandas of the cancer wards as they receive their chemotherapy treatment. This is mainly because they cannot afford accommodation and food in the nearby hotels, guest houses etc. Some children therefore fail to start or complete their treatment due to the costs.

The Uganda Cancer Institute will be referring children to Kawempe Home Care and the first children were admitted to the hostel in October 2016.

Together with Kindern Erine Chance and Red , we are very excited to be at the forefront of such an important service and we hope that this program sets a precedent for more nursing homes and hostels for children with cancer.